Finger ring reducing means



Jan. 9, 1968 v. DE SANTO 3,362,189

' FIG I V INVEN'TOR. V/NCENT DES/INTO RIVE Y United States Patent 3,362,189 FINGER RING REDUCING MEANS Vincent De Santo, 423 73rd St., North Bergen, NJ. 07047 Filed Apr. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 448,404 4 Claims. (Cl. 63--15.6)

This invention relates to a means for reducing the size of a finger ring and particularly to a finger ring reducing means which is inserted within the inside diameter of the finger ring and which may be readily removed for inserting a different sized finger ring reducing means.

Usually, the inside diameter of a finger ring needs to be made smaller. The need may arise by either the wearer of the ring losing weight or it may arise from the prolonged wearing of the ring on one finger. In this event, the inner node of the annulary or ring finger will become much smaller than the inside diameter of the ring. The reduction of the size of the inner node of the ring finger presents a problem since, with the reduction of the inner node of the ring finger, the ring finger knuckle usually remains the same or may even increase in size. In any event, the wearing of the finger ring which has an inside diameter larger than the outside diameter of the finger will present a problem in which the ring will twist about the finger and thus the ring will be displayed in an unsightly manner. In addition, there is the possibility that the ring may become so loose that it may slip oil? the finger and become lost. Therefore, some device had to be provided which may be easily attached to the ring to reduce the rings inside diameter but without damaging the ring itself.

Heretofore, the size of the finger ring was changed by physically cutting the ring or by some other way which would mutilate the ring. Other means of reducing the size of the ring were attempted but were unsatisfactory because they were either too expensive or they would damage the ring in the attempt of reducing its size.

This invention provides a means for reducing the size of a finger ring that can be readily attached to the ring to provide for a positive means of reducing the inside diameter of the ring without mutilating the ring itself. In addition, this invention provides for the removal of the device which is used to reduce the size of the ring and for the replacement of a diiferent sized ring reducing means.

Therefore, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a means for reducing the inside diameter of the ring while preserving the structure of the ring and preventing damage thereto.

Auother object of the present invention is to provide a device for reducing the size of a finger ring, which device has the combination of a hinge to be secured on one side of the ring and a clip to be inserted within the hinge and a portion which extends from said one side to the other side of the ring to be attached to the inside diameter of the ring for positive snug fit upon the ring being worn by the wearer.

An additional object of this invention is to provide means for quickly assembling a device for reducing the inside diameter of a finger ring.

A further object of this invention is to provide such an assembly which is simple, durable and economically constructed and is readily assembled to a finger ring requiring a minimum number of parts.

These and other objects and features of the invention are pointed out in the following description in terms of the embodiments thereof which are shown in the accompanying drawing. It is to be understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only and is not a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

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In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the finger ring reducing means assembled with the ring in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side view of another portion ment of the device similar to FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged side view of the finger ring reducing means showing a portion of a second embodiment of the device similar to FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged side view of another portion of the reducing means in accordance with the second embodiment of the device;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of the device in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged side view of another portion of the device shown in FIGURE 6.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, FIGURES 1 to 3 show a womans finger ring 10 having a plurality of diamonds 12 at one portion of its outside diameter with a device for reducing the size of the finger ring at another portion of the ring at its inside diameter. The finger ring reducing device 14 comprises primarily two parts, a hinge member 16 squeezed onto the ring 10 and an elongated concave looped spring leaf 18. It should be noted that the spring 18 includes a pin 20 which can be readily inserted into a slot 22 of the hinge member 16 as hereinafter more fully described.

It should be noted that this invention provides for only two pieces of equipment to produce the reducing means while other means necessitate the use of three and four members to produce the same result. In addition, it should be understood that even though a womans finger ring is shown, the means for reducing the size of said ring may be equally adaptable to a mans ring.

The looped spring 18 is generally concave having a body portion 24 intermediate a yoke portion 26 and the pin portion 20. Due to the yoke portion 26, the body portion may take the configuration shown in dotted line 28 in FIGURE 1 Without slipping out of engagement with the body of the ring. The pin portion 20 has two ends 26 and 28 which are insertable within the slot 22 shown in FIGURE 2 in parallel direction and then rotated to fit Within a groove 30. Once the pin 20 is inserted within the slot 22 and groove 30, it remains Within the hinge member and then can be positioned across the ring to be wedged diametrically opposite to the hinge member 16 to be secured on the inside diameter of the ring as shown in FIGURE 1. The spring 16 is concave so that it may bend in a position as shown in dotted line 28 in order that it may fit comfortably around the lower portion of the wears finger.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawing, it can be seen that the device for reducing the size of the ring may be made of a hinge member 32 having a semicircular configuration, as the hinge shown in FIGURES 1 to 3, having two protrusions 34 and 35 extending parallel to the axis of the hinge and integral to the diameter of the hinge. A spring 36 is made without the pin 20 of FIGURES 1 to 3, but in its place there is provided an aperture 38 which may readily receive the. protrusions 34 and 35 of the hinge member 32. In this position, the spring 36 can pivot about the protrusions 34 and 35. The spring may be then extended to the other side of the ring to be supported by the inside diameter of the ring and then the protrusions 34 and 35 bend around the spring 36, the same way as a cotter pin is bent, to prevent the disassembly of said spring. As shown, the spring 36 is pivoted about the protrusions 34 and 35 at one end and at the other end it can saddle the inside diameter of the ring as is provided in FIG- URE 1.

As stated before, the concave configuration of the spring 36 can then follow the shape of the finger. The finger first provides an outward push against the spring 36 to lock the reducing means against the inside diameter of the ring 10 as in FIGURE 1 by a yoke portion such as yoke portion 26 of FIGURE 3 engaging the inside diameter of the ring. To provide for a different sized guard, one merely opens the protrusions 34 and 35 of the hinge member 32 and removes the spring guard 36 from the ring. A new size hinge and spring portion may then be attached as hereinbefore described.

Referring to FIGURES 6 and 7, the device is shown in the third embodiment of the invention. Here a spring body portion 40 of this device, which is the same as the spring body portion 24 of FIGURES 1 to 3 and spring 36 of FIGURES 4 and 5 of the device shown in the second and third embodiment, respectively, but the hinge portion 44 is made so that it has but one protrusion 42 extending parallel to the axis of a hinge member 44. The spring 40 may then be threaded onto the pin 42 and then lightly tapped to produce a head 46 to lock the spring 40 onto the hinge member 44. In the assembly of the device of FIGURES 6 and 7, the same methods as those used in FIGURES 1 to 3 and 4 and 5, as hereinbefore described are used.

Generally, in the operation of the system assuming a proper sized reducing device is picked, a person would clip the hinge 16 of FIGURES l to 3 or 32 of FIG- URES 4 and 5 or 44 of FIGURES 6 and 7 onto the ring 10 and squeeze it around the body of the ring but leaving a space between the inside of the diameter of the ring 10 shown in FIGURE 1 and the inside diameters of the hinge 16, 32, or 44.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3, the diamonds 12 will be facing in the position shown in FIGURE 1 before the hinge 16 will be clipped onto the ring 10 in the position shown. The pin 20 of the spring leaf 18 is then turned 90 degrees so that the pin 20 will lay perpendicularly to the slot 20. It can then be moved within the groove 30 to be locked in position. The diamonds being adjusted so that they would face outwardly, the spring 18 will then be rotated about the hinge to have the yoke 26 seated on the inside diameter at the other side of the finger ring 10. The operations of the embodiment shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 and that shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 are the same except that the springs 36 and 40 are inserted within the pins 34 and 35 or pin 42 respectively. The springs 36 and 40 can then be rotated perpendicular to the plane of the ring 10 towards the inside diameter of the ring 10 to be secured thereon by their yokes, such as the yoke 26 shown in FIGURE 3.

Therefore, it can be understood from the description that there is provided an improved simple two-piece easily adjustable finger ring reducing means. The ring reducing means provides for a better appearing overall ring arrangement, and, in addition, provides for comfort of the wearer. Furthermore, it prevents irritation caused by continuous friction since when a ring is large it will rotate around the wears finger. Most important is the fact that the ring reducing means provides for a snug fit protecting the wearer from losing the ring.

While several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, various changes in the form and relative arrangements of the parts, which will now appear to those skilled in the art may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Reference is, therefore, to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for reducing the size of a finger ring comprising a substantially cylindrical hinge member engaging a portion of the finger ring having a slot substantially perpendicular to the plane of the ring, retaining means within said hinge member adjacent said slot, and an elongated member having a pin substantially perpendicular to the length of said elongated member whereby said pin may be inserted within the slot of said hinge member and then rotated to be secured by said retaining means to prevent its removal from the slot so that said elongated member can be operably extendable across to the other side of said ring and thereby connect the inside diameter of the ring to reduce the inside diameter of said ring.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said elongated member further comprises a yoke portion at its extended end portion for operably engaging the inside diameter at the other side of the ring for locking said elongated member within said ring upon the wearer inserting a finger within the ring and producing a radially outward force upon said elongated member.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said hinge member is operably crimped onto the ring at the one portion of said ring, and wherein said slot extends transverse to the hinge member axis and to the plane of said ring and wherein said elongated member comprises a spring leaf, said pin being integral centrally to said spring leaf and operably insertable within the slot of said hinge and radially rotated to be locked therein for rotation about said hinge member towards the plane of said ring so that it may be extended towards the side of the ring within the inside diameter thereof to produce a locking effect when the wearer of the ring inserts his finger therein to produce a radially outward force.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said hinge member is operably crimped onto the ring at the one portion of said ring, and wherein said hinge member is provided with a slot extending transverse to its axis and to the plane of said ring and wherein said elongated member comprises an elongated looped spring leaf including the pin being integral centrally to said spring leaf and operably insertable within the slot of said hinge and radially rotated 90 and wherein said hinge member further comprises a groove on its inside diametrical surface facing the inside of the ring for said pin to be locked therein for rotation about said hinge member towards the plane of said ring so that it may be extended towards the side of the ring within the inside diameter thereof to produce a locking effect when the wearer of the ring inserts his finger therein to produce a radially outward force.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ANTON O. OECHSLE. Primary Examiner. 

1. MEANS FOR REDUCING THE SIZE OF A FINGER RING COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL HINGE MEMBER ENGAGING A PORTION OF THE FINGER RING HAVING A SLOT SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF THE RING, RETAINING MEANS WITHIN SAID HINGE MEMBER ADJACENT SAID SLOT, AND AN ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING A PIN SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LENGTH OF SAID ELONGATED MEMBER WHEREBY SAID PIN 